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Homemade hot honey is so easy to make with just three ingredients. Sweet and spicy, it’s perfect to drizzle on pizza, cornbread, biscuits, and so much more!
I love everything with a kick, and this hot honey recipe is one of my favorites, along with homemade chili oil and garlic and chili-infused honey. This spicy-sweet condiment combines honey with spicy ingredients like chili peppers or red pepper flakes.
It’s so easy to prepare, and you can customize it to match your preferred level of heat. Plus, you might already have all the ingredients in your pantry! So, let’s learn how to make hot honey!
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Ingredients
- Honey: Use honey you like the taste of. Try to use local honey. I recommend a more neutral-tasting one, like clover honey. You can also use crystallized honey, as the heat will break down the crystals.
- Chili Peppers: Choose your favorite depending on how hot you like them:
- Fresh chili peppers (red or green, sliced) will provide a bright kick. You can use serranos, jalapeños, habaneros peppers, Thai red chilies, etc. Note that fresh chilis will shorten the shelf-life.
- Crushed red pepper flakes are very convenient. You can use Korean pepper flakes gochugaru (mild), red pepper flakes (hotter), or dried smoky chilies (mild to hot and smoky).
- Whole dried chili peppers are great for deeper flavor and extra heat, like Ancho (mild and sweet), Guajillo (medium), Chipotle (hot), and Chile de Arbol (very hot).
- Vinegar (optional): I love to add a splash of apple cider vinegar to balance the sweetness and add a subtle tang. Alternatively, use red wine vinegar.
See the printable recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make hot honey
Prepare the Ingredients: Measure the honey and the chili flakes. If using fresh chilies, slice them thinly.
Simmer, then Infuse: Add the honey and your choice of chili to a small saucepan, stir, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for just 1-2 minutes, and remove it from the heat. Then let it infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Taste and Adjust: Dip a clean spoon into the honey to test the spice level. For more heat, add extra peppers or let it infuse longer. To reduce the spice, stir in plain honey to mellow it out.
Strain the Mixture: Strain out the chili through a fine mesh strainer and pour the hot honey into a clean glass jar. This will stop the infusion, and the honey will remain at its current heat level.
If using fresh chilies, you can reserve them after straining. These “candied” peppers are great for cocktails and desserts.
Add Vinegar and Enjoy: Add the vinegar and stir to combine. The hot honey is now ready to enjoy or to store.
Store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 3 months to prevent crystallization. Refrigerate if using fresh chili peppers and use within 1-2 weeks. To fix crystallization, briefly microwave or warm the jar in hot water.
Ways to use hot honey
The sky is the limit when it comes to how to use this hot honey recipe. Here are some of my favorites:
- Use as an appetizer: Add it to a cheese or charcuterie board or enjoy it drizzled on other starter dishes.
- Drizzle over Savory Dishes: It’s the perfect sweet and spicy addition to pizza, bread, cornbread, homemade biscuits, grilled or roasted veggies, and quick microwave corn on the cob.
- Use it on protein: Season chicken, steak, shrimp, burgers, or any favorite protein for a sweet-spicy kick. It’s delicious with fried chicken breasts and oven-baked salmon, too.
- Add to salads: Mix into your salad dressing for a unique, flavorful twist.
- Add to drinks: Stir into cocktails or tea for a warming touch of spice.
It also makes a wonderful edible gift for the holidays and special occasions.
FAQs
You could refer to my chili and garlic-infused honey recipe. It allows the ingredients to infuse into the honey over several days. Omit the garlic for a simple spicy honey sauce.
No, feel free to keep them in the mixture. Keep in mind that if you leave them in, the mixture gets hotter over time as they infuse further. That’s why I prefer to strain them before storing the honey.
You could use maple syrup, agave, or vegan dandelion honey in place of regular honey. However, I recommend you store it in the refrigerator and aim to use it within 1-2 weeks.
Place the jar in a bowl of hot water, and it should help melt the crystals. You could also microwave it in 10-second increments, stirring in between.
Yes, you can use hot sauce instead of chili peppers—mix the honey with the sauce; there’s no need to heat it and infuse it. Use your favorite hot sauce, such as Frank’s or Cholula.
More easy chili recipes to try
If you try this homemade hot honey recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Hot Honey
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups honey
- 2 Tbsp dried chili flakes or 4 large fresh chili peppers
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- If using fresh chilies, slice them thinly.
- Add the honey and chili to a small saucepan, stir, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Let the honey infuse with the chili for 10-15 minutes—then taste with a clean spoon. For more heat, add extra peppers or let it infuse longer. To reduce the spice, stir in plain honey to mellow it out.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a clean jar. Add the vinegar and stir to combine.The hot honey is now ready to enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hey this is great thanks a lot of this recipe, however after it’s made when can I start using it?
Hi Gavin,
You can use the hot honey as soon as it cools down. I hope you give it a try.